Have you every worked with someone who had a reputation for being impossible to work with? I had this experience with a doctor and decided to see what approach might resolve the issue.
When Dr. X, an orthopedic surgeon, came to work in our facility in the 1980s, he quickly earned the reputation of being the type of person with whom few wanted to work. Although most of the nursing staff disliked assisting him, the nurse who generally worked in his orthopedic clinic seemed to have no trouble with him. In fact, in very short order, he came to love her like a mother.
Dr. X had been orphaned as a child. Nurse N’s daughter was grown and had moved away from home, and she was delighted to have a son to bond with. Dr. X was single when he first came to us, but he married and had two daughters in a few short years. When Dr. X and his wife needed a sitter evenings or weekends, Nurse N. cared for his daughters, and they loved her like a grandmother.
One day, Nurse N was ill and another older nurse was sent to the clinic to work with Dr. X. When he arrived in the clinic and found Nurse N out ill, he turned from the pleasant Dr. Jekyll into an awful Mr. Hyde. The first patient was late for his appointment and Dr. X began to yell at the nurse, declaring it was her fault that he was wasting his time there with no patient to evaluate.
Being a very clever person who was not put off by the doctor’s tantrum, she turned to him and asked if he would like to dance to fill in the time until the first patient arrived. His black mood dissolved and he began to dance around the clinic with her.
My first personal encounter working with Dr. X came while I was working as the evening nursing supervisor. Dr. X called and said he was sending an injured football player to us and he wanted me to get him a particular splint for the patient. He added that he would be over shortly to see the patient in the urgent care clinic. I headed to central supply to find the splint, but I could not find one that matched the description he had given me. I went to the urgent care doctor and asked if he was familiar with the splint. He was not, but said he would help me find it.
Despite these efforts, neither of us could locate the splint. When Dr. X arrived and found we had no splint, he began to yell. “What is the matter with you people? You never have the equipment I need! When I go to cocktail parties, people point and stare at me and say there is the poor doctor who can’t provide good patient care because he never has the equipment he needs.”
I could see he was feeling very insecure. I responded, “I am sure we can locate one at Sutter Davis Hospital, assuming you use them there. They are always willing to loan out their equipment.” He calmed down a little and said, “No, they don’t have one either.” I responded, “Surely your office stocks them and we can drive over there and pick one up.” Rather sheepishly he responded, “Well, no, we don’t have one there either.”
Regaining a little force he then said, “I work at UCDMC tomorrow and they always have the equipment I want. Send someone over there to get one tomorrow.” I responded, “That’s great they have one; while you are there tomorrow, why don’t you pick one up and bring it back here so we’ll be able to order the exact one you want for the future.” His anger now completely dissipated, he responded, “I can do that.”
When Nurse N retired, the Director of Nursing assigned several different nurses over time to work with him. Each told the director that he was impossible and they didn’t want to help him again. One day, they asked if I would work with him. I said “Sure.”
Dr. X had a reputation for arriving at work and demanding a long list of supplies he wanted instantly. The nurses who worked with him generally got frustrated and angry and hurriedly tried to find what he wanted. Knowing the nurse he loved like a mother could never have produced the items he wanted with any great speed, I decided I would try a different approach.
When Dr. X arrived in the clinic, he started screaming for his list of items. I reasoned that if Dr. X was feeling insecure and if he got the point across on his arrival that he was in charge, then his authority would not be challenged. I responded with a tone that exuded helplessness: “Oh Doctor, I’m afraid I can’t remember all those items you listed. Could you help me?”
He immediately softened. “No problem at all,” he said. “I’d be happy to help you.” Dr. X and I always had a great working relationship from that day on. He didn’t feel threatened by me and his anger was gone.
No comments:
Post a Comment